the Memorial Tournament interview: Rory McIlroy

RORY McILROY: Relieved and frustrated at the same time, I guess. Birdied 15 to get back to 1‑over.

16 is a tough hole.

17 and 18 are generous, maybe I can get it back to even par. But bogeying 16 and 17 wasn't really the plan. And obviously having to make one up and down at the last.

Happy to be in on the weekend and a couple of rounds to work on things. But I need to commit more to my shots and not guide the ball as much, I guess, just let it go.

Q. (Inaudible.)

RORY McILROY: It didn't matter, I was 6 over par. All I was trying to do was make birdies, I needed to hit some good shots. It's a matter of going to the range and working it out, just getting rid of that mentally more than anything else.

Q. You just always go in feeling like I've got nothing to lose, is that the tough thing to go in feeling ‑‑

RORY McILROY: It is for sure. But that's the thing that I went out there with yesterday. Because I was starting at 6 over par, you don't really have anything to lose, all you can do is play well. I did for most of the time.

When I did get myself in position where I did have something to lose, when I was trying to make the cuts, that's when a couple of the shots started to creep back in.

It was just a matter of going to the range and working on it. I guess it's more committing to it on the course. You can do it on the range and it doesn't matter. But when you're on the course that's when you really have to commit to it.

Q. 3‑under par, 69 in Round 2. You seemed a lot looser out there?

RORY McILROY: I was a lot looser for most of the round. And when I started getting closer to the cut line, I wasn't so loose. I played well for the most part and happy to be in for the weekend, felt like it obviously could have been a few shots lower. But I got up and down on 18 which I needed to, to make the cut. And I'm just happy to be playing two more rounds here.

Q. What are you looking forward to for the rest of today and tomorrow?

RORY McILROY: I guess trying to finish the tournament for a start with this weather coming in. It's another opportunity to play two more rounds of golf and I guess work on my game a little bit. And I guess work on it out there more than anything else. I don't think it's going‑‑ of course I can go hit balls on the range and hit it well, but it's about doing that out on the golf course, and that's what I have to do for the weekend.